Life
Couples spend months of their lives and, according to CostOfWedding.com, an average of $25,764 planning their nuptials. Unfortunately, things don't always go as swimmingly as expected. The biggest regrets people have about their weddings range from something as harmless as a dessert that just didn't deliver, to the borderline infuriating — like a mother-in-law who simply wouldn't quit. Either way, it's never a pleasant experience when something goes wrong on your wedding day. Just ask the bride whose outdoor ceremony got rained out. (THE WORST.)
You're already under immense stress planning a wedding. You want to please everyone so they leave with good memories and awesome stories. You want the day to be perfectly special with your partner, who you love to the moon and back. You want your Aunt Edna to stay away from the open bar, because bad things will happen otherwise. You can't decide what napkin pattern you like most, and you're worried your gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, organic, vegan cousin won't have anything to eat.
Some of us dream of our weddings from the time we're children, so really, it's no wonder that if even the tiniest thing goes wrong, we regret it for years (and years) to come.
As disappointing as it all may sound, rest assured none of us are alone in having wedding day regrets. Here are just 18 of them.
1
Putting China On The Wedding Registry
It might be pretty to look at, but be honest with yourself: will you ever really use it? If not, don't register for it. Now, that expensive pressure cooker you've been eyeing for months...
2
Banning People From Taking Pictures
You never know. You might just need back-ups in case the photographer you hired goes MIA. Seriously, who does that?
3
Giving The Mother-In-Law Too Much Power
There are two things I know to be true in life: peanut butter and chocolate make for the best food combination, and letting the MIL in too much is never a good idea. Ever seen Monster-in-Law? There you go.
5
Sending Snail Mail
As nice as it is receiving notes in the mail (I love notes!), people get lazy when it comes time to respond. Try going digital and save yourself a massive headache — and a ton of cash.
6
Skipping The Most Important Meal Of The Day
You should always make time for breakfy, even when you're getting ready to say, "I do."
8
Choosing The Wrong 'Do
What matters is you're comfortable and you feel beautiful. That's the right style for you.
9
Inviting People You Don't Really Want To Invite
I. Am. So. Over. This. Why do we feel pressured to invite people just to be polite? Weddings aren't cheap! You can have coffee with them some other time.
10
Not Hiring A Photographer
While it sucks having to acknowledge your photog went missing, not hiring one at all comes with its own risks — for instance, 20 pictures your grandmother took of her thumb.
11
Not Planning Your Speech Ahead Of Time
You may think you got this, but when you get up in front of a crowd of people, tipsy and full of adrenaline, your memory might play tricks on you. Write it all down instead of trying to memorize it.
12
Swapping Cake For Cupcakes
Hey, you do you. If cupcakes sound better, cupcakes it is! Just make sure you know what the time investment is, and pick something you're fairly certain you'll enjoy.
13
Recording The Ceremony
Weddings make for the best home movies years down the line. It's understandable the bride and groom would want to capture every last second of it.
14
Not Picking The Dress Of Your Dreams
This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Make the most of it. Get the dress you want. You deserve it.
15
Not Putting Enough Into It
Going the DIY route is so fab and you can save some serious cash. But remember: it's okay to spend a little money, too, especially on your own wedding.
16
Excessive Pre-Wedding Boozing
Yup, that'll catch up to you pretty quickly. Consider saving it for the reception and honeymoon.
17
Skipping Out On Separate Child Supervision
It's wonderful to allow kids at your wedding, but maybe you can hire babysitters to keep them busy with coloring books and shoving them full of cake to keep 'em quiet the rest of the night. Just a thought.
18
Rushing Through It
Enjoy every moment, because time goes by too fast. Stop and look around. Dance to your favorite song. Have another slice of cake. Live it up and soak it in.
19
